Ghost of you
by Azuki-san
Summary: What happened to Cissnei after Zack's death. A short story between the event of Crisis Core and Final Fantasy VII. Rated for Suicide, drugs and minor swearing. One-sided Cissnei/Zack, implied Zack/Aerith.


**I obviously don't own Final Fantasy VII, so shut up and drink your god-damn tea and enjoy the story.**

**Ghost of You**

She's been empty vessel ever since he died, a grim thin line plastered on her fragile face, tears did not fall, they weren't allowed to fall. She had fallen in love with the guy, at first she thought of him as a friend, but those feelings grew over the couple of years she had known him. He never saw her more than a friend, he never said it but deep down she knew. She was assigned to capture him, but she had let him go, to give him a chance to live, to be free. She wanted her own wings, she wanted to be free from this god-forsaken life she had been forced into without a word of consent. She wondered if she had caught him when she did, would he still be alive? He probably would hate her for taking away his freedom, but that man didn't seem to know the meaning of hate. He was kind, caring, protective but he still wouldn't return her feelings. She had known that he was in love with a girl in the Slums. No-one had the heart to tell the poor girl about his death, everyone thought it might be better that way, maybe she will move on.

Cissnei stared blankly out the window, Midgar was still so full of life, even when someone important died, no-one down there truly cared, they didn't know the man, only heard about him because he was a First Class Soldier, but no-one cared, he wasn't Sephiroth, the people only care about the hero. Some hero he turned out to be, killing innocents, burning down a defenseless village. Though it wasn't like Shinra actually told the public what had happened. As far as she knew, Zack was the only survivor, and now he's dead. Murdered because he wanted to break free, he had the courage she wanted. It has been 3 days 18 hours and 24 minutes since he died, she had counted. Tseng, their current leader had given her the order to go rescue Lt. Fair. She knew Zack was as much his friend as he was hers. Ever since his death, he hasn't spoken to anyone though that wasn't unusual but he became quieter and even then his already cold nature became bitter and almost emotionless. The man never really smiled anyway, but anyone could tell deep down he was hurting.

"I want to break free." A slow whisper escaped her lips. She looked round in the Turk lounge, it was quiet, hardly anyone was in the room. Rod, Gun and Shotgun were sitting on the couch conversing about something, Cissnei didn't know, she didn't really care either. She looked down at the shiny metallic object attached to her holster and a grim smile plastered her face. She had left the room, returning to the locker room, she wanted to go to a place which most called home, to her it was only a place of rest.

Undressing herself and changing into something casual, she left the room and headed towards the exit. Memories of Zack had flooded her mind, the memories when she and her colleagues found Zack. She remembered to see the man she loved lying in a pool of blood, he looked serene, he was finally free, but at the cost of his life. Maybe one day she'll be free, she watched her tall lanky colleague kneel down beside Zack, his face emotionless as ever. His head turned slightly to his partner, Rude stood motionless before turning around to face Cissnei. Cissnei tried to look past his sunglasses, but nothing came of it, Reno and Rude casually walked away. Their lips formed tight thin lines, Reno's eyes grew darker and colder. Cissnei wanted to cry, but she couldn't, her past has taught her not to cry. Crying was weakness.

Cissnei had later learned after a couple of hours after Zack's death, there was a mass genocide in the Army department. Apparently Reno's temper had gotten the better of him and massacred many defenseless soldiers, and apparently Tseng didn't care, even with his job on the line, he had let his subordinate avenge his friends' death, only because he himself couldn't. Tseng probably would had rather been in Reno's place if it weren't for his rank. Reno and Tseng had an unspoken agreement, like most Turks had, we were a family of sort. No-one understood a Turk unlike another Turk, they knew what each other went through, what they had dealt with and what they have to deal with.

Stepping into to her studio apartment not far from the Shinra building, her room wasn't a mess, but it wasn't exactly tidy. It looked like someone lives there, but at the same time Cissnei is hardly in her apartment, always out on a mission, keeping an eye out on... A soft sob escaped her lungs. She sat down on her small cream couch and stared blankly at the white wall in front of her. Memories of Zack came back to her. How they first met, when he thought she was a civilian being attack by Genesis copies, when he saved her not long after they met, when they were at Junon. Junon was the last mission they had together, that also was the last time she saw him. After that he was shipped to Nibelheim with Sephiroth to investigate the Mako reactor. He never came back, even though he promised Aerith. Cissnei had hope he kept his promise to her just so she could see him again. She didn't hate Aerith because Zack loved her, she envied her, but with Zack gone. Maybe the Turks job would be easier, they all knew that she was an Ancient, and that one-day Shinra would take her and of course Turk being the lapdogs of Shinra would have to do all their dirty work. Cissnei sighed as her eyes grew heavy and drifted into a light sleep.

The next morning she had awoken to the sound of her alarm, it was still dark outside, but then again Midgar is always dark. Rubbing the back of her neck from her awkward slumber, she slowly stood up. Her eyes burnt slightly, maybe she had been crying in her sleep, she thought. She walked into her small bathroom, turning the shower on, she listened to the water running. It was music to her ears, sounding like a heavy downpour. She stepped into the small cubicle, letting the water wash away all her problems for the time being. She let out a small whimper and a sob as she clung her arms around her tiny frame. She missed Zack, she hasn't seen him in 4 years, but now knowing he was dead, she missed him knowing that he wouldn't see his smile again. That soft playful smile that had drawn her from her closed, cold nature. After her shower, she changed back into her casual wear, and headed off back to the Shinra building. The closer she edged to the Shinra building, the more hatred she started to feel for the company. First they take her in at a young age and force her to be a killing machine, then they take away someone who wanted to be free, guaranteed they have given her friends, Turk, they were as close of friends as they'll ever be, Turks come and go. Many you don't really get to meet, you might walk past them once or twice in your entire career, others you get assigned with on several occasions. The higher ups probably wants it that way, that way you get to trust a few people and work well with the people you're assigned with and a better succession on missions. To be honest Cissnei didn't really know many of the Turks, she had seen a couple around the Turk lounge, the people she only really knew were Reno, Rude, Tseng, Nun-chucks and Katana. Others were people that lingered around their common room she had spoken on a few occasions.

Walking inside the Shinra entrance, she made way to the elevator and headed off for the Turk's floor. Stepping out of the elevator she came face to face with a cheery, cocky grin that belonged to one of her superiors, Reno.

"Yo Cissnei, how yer doin'?" The tall red haired man casually spoke, swaying slightly. 'Is he drunk?' Cissnei thought to herself, it wasn't unusual for him to be drunk, she stared him in the eyes. His eyes were somewhat vacant and creepy giggle escaped his mouth. 'Is he high?' Cissnei thought to herself before opening her mouth to speak. "I'm fine." Cissnei bluntly said before walking past him towards the locker room. Reno stared at the younger Turk, and shrugged his shoulders before heading towards the balcony taking a cigarette out of his suit pocket and slipping it into his mouth, chewing on the end before reaching for his lighter. Cissnei entered the Turk lounge, noting who was in the room, staring grimly out of the large window. Rude was by the island in the kitchen section nursing a coffee, many other turks were lightly chatting about missions that had had over the past few days. Cissnei looked down back at the shiny metallic object she had killed many with over her career, she slowly reached for it. Gripping it at the handle, her face tightened, biting her lip, she looked around once again, no-one had noticed, she hoped no-one would stop her. Reno walked back into the room, making his way towards Rude, Rude had stood up and face his partner, she saw their mouths move, but she couldn't hear them, she glanced around the female Martial Artist was sitting down reading a book, unaware of her surroundings but aware at the same time. Rod and Gun appeared to be having an argument, nothing new there, though Gun never seem to break from her serious composure. Shotgun was sitting watching the two with a cocky amused grin on her face, every now and then appearing to make a snarky comment at Rod making the Turk stutter before continuing. Cissnei stared back out the window, looking at her pitiful reflection, she brought the gun in her hand to her temple. The room around her silenced itself as a bullet pierced through the air. She had heard it, that wasn't right, she felt a tight grip around her wrist now pointing towards the ceiling. She stared with shock, of course Reno would be fast enough to notice something and stop it within a split second even if was high on drugs or not, he truly was a Turk. After all he wasn't second in command for nothing, she inwardly cursed. Everyone around the room were now standing, looking at the situation. Tseng had even burst into the room wondering what had happened.

"Let me go." She growled under her breath, a tight line forming against her lips. Tseng had walked up to both Cissnei and Reno, "What's going on here?" Cold and blunt as ever, nothing new there. Cissnei refused to look her superiors in the eyes, Tseng glanced at Reno, who still had ahold of Cissnei's wrist. Her eyes started to burn with tears, this was the first she had ever cried, and it was in front of her superiors and colleagues. "She tried to shoot herself." The voice wasn't Reno's but one of Rude's, he rarely talked unless he needed to. Tseng head turned to the tall bald man and nodded before turning back to Cissnei. She could fell his eyes burning into her back. She bit her lip before shifting her soft brown eyes to her superior, the man who was friends with a person who she loved more than a friend.

"I...I..." She started, more tears had fell, with a quick motion she managed to slip her wrist from Reno tight boney hands, a gunshot pierced the room once again, followed by a yelp of pain. Everyone in the room shifted forward to stop the unstable young turk. Reno nursed his now bleeding hand, staring at Cissnei as his face scrunched into a frown, biting his lower lip to forget about the pain.

"I want to be free." Another gunshot was heard, no-one had time to react, it happened all too fast. The youngest turk had finally broken. Blood sprayed everywhere, the sickening crunching of bone still echoed the room, the smell of blood lingered and the atmosphere of the room became tense. The young vibrant turk, now laid in the pool of her own blood, tears still staining her face mixed with blood. Everyone's face tightened, no-one dared to move. They all stared in shock, their fellow comrade now motionless on the floor. A shallow beep of a phone, and a low emotionless voice broke the silence. Tseng had phoned someone to clean up this mess, taking one last glance at everyone in the room, he walked out of the room. Everyone's eyes were still fixated on the once vibrant Turk's dead body. Reno seethed in pain before quietly walking out of the room, soon followed by everyone else in the room who wanted to forget about what they have just seen. It was uncommon for Turks to take their life when something truly bad happen, but it was something that most of them hadn't yet seen. It had killed the atmosphere of the room.

Cissnei was finally free.

Reno was sitting out on the doorstep of a church in Sector 5. Taking deep drags of the weed that was placed in his mouth, it had been hectic as of late. Avalanche had come back, but they weren't the same people he was sure, a mako reactor had just been blown up yesterday, and there were plans that one was going to be today. Reno glanced at his watch, a bandage was still wrapped around his hand. No-one truly knew why the young turk had taken her life, she wanted to be free, but everyone who works with Shinra, in the end wants to be free. "Zack." He breathed out, taking in another drag, feeling lost in the affects of the drug in his mouth. A low giggle hummed at the bottom of his lungs. His ears perked up when he heard a crash inside the church. Today was the day where the Ancient will loose her freedom, become like the rest within Shinra. He stood up slowly, and stalked towards the door, peering inside he saw the girl in the pink dress looking all panicked about something. He casually walked inside, she hadn't noticed yet, but she was talking to a young man. He was wearing a First class Soldier uniform, 'wait, thats not right' the redhead silently said to himself. He walked closer to have a better look at the young man. He had blonde hair, very spiky blonde hair, so spiky you could use it as a lethal weapon, Reno silently mused himself. The blonde's eyes met his own blue orbs, 'Mako.'

"Don't mind me yo." He called out, Aerith gave him an unsure look, before speaking to the blonde man again. The blonde man had stood up and eyed Reno. 'Cloud Strife?' Reno mused himself, 'wasn't he one of Zack's friends that went to Nibelheim with him? I thought he died.' Three infantry men ran in, 'bloody rookies and their shit timing.' He saw the Ancient and the man run off. Noting that the man was holding the Buster sword. The sword that once belonged to Zack, which belonged to one of Zack's close friend. Reno ran towards the two who are trying to escape, running across the flowers. He stood still, 'So your legacy lives on Zack.'

"Don't step on the flowers yo!"

A smirk played across his face, drowning out the complaints from the soldiers behind him.

Woo I haven't written anything in years, and all of a sudden my writers block disappeared. Anyways please let me know what you think by reviewing or something.


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